23-years of Marine expertise gathered at GCCM

Marine Craftsmanship is at its best at the Gold Coast Marina and Shipyard. From boat building and marine repairs to our antifouling services, the marine trades at GCCM are sought after and recognised by superyacht captains and boat owners as the best trades for their luxurious vessels. No matter the size of the boat, our trades’ exemplary craftsmanship embraces all boat sizes – their passion is just as strong for working on antifouling for smaller boats as superyacht refits.

Trenton Gay, CEO of GCCM comments:

“When we first opened the doors, it was, “Have we done the right thing here?” Because no one was here. It was a crazy thing to do back in, you know, 20 years ago, because no one had really put a marina of this density together. Build it, they will come, the old saying, and it’s proved true, what it’s grown into and what we’ve developed. Other marinas around the world have copied our model of bringing the tenancies together, making a shopping centre for boating. The skills in this place are second to none.”

Trenton’s theory on why marine craftsmanship is the best at GCCM is the passion and comradery of the team. “These guys have been doing it for a long time. They are industry leaders, and that’s well known. The thing I love about the people working here is they’ve got a passion for this industry. They’re a great bunch. They want to see a job done well, and they take a lot of pride in what the job is and how it’s finished. It’s watching them all work together, seeing the camaraderie of them working on a job. They do push each other, they’ll help each other. Our boaties, for them fixing the boat is part of the boating experience. Our Gold Coast marina team, they’re exceptional. They have grown up around this industry. They love it. They do it on the weekends, it is their sport, it’s their recreation, it’s their release, and it’s their livelihood. And that’s why people come back here time and time again, because they get looked after and they know that they’re part of the wider family.”

Hear below from some of our standout trades at GCCM.

Andrew Torti – South Pacific Marine Group

The team at South Pacific marine Group look after in-house electrical, electronics, engineering, plumbing, steel and stainless-steel alloy fabrication. The tradesman are fully qualified in their specific fields and provide services and refits on vessels from 40ft – 160ft.

According to Andrew, “I get a big satisfaction out of repairing or fixing something that no one else can. That’s a big challenge that I like, and having a great team of guys around me that lets me do that, too. Guys I’ve got are the best tradesman in Australia. Electrical engineers, plumbing and other electronics technicians. We’ve never been to a job we can’t fix something ever. Whether it’s a 15-foot boat or a 50-metre boat, no matter what we’ve been challenged with, we’ve always rectified the issue.

I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I never drive to work going “I hate going to work today”. My wife struggles to get me home because I love going to work so much. All this is interesting for me. This is my life.”

Doug Fielding – Regatta Marine

Everything from restorations to engine removals to antifouling is available from Doug and his team. They specialise in building and restoring timber boats. Regatta Marine takes great pleasure in providing excellent customer service and only the best craftsmanship.

As a qualified shipwright with over 25 years’ experience, Doug has always had a passion for boat restoration.

“I started my apprenticeship in 1991 but I was mucking around building boats in my Dad’s garage long before that. Back when I was a kid. Building dinghies, modifying dinghies, anything we pretty much could get our hands on,” Doug comments.

The core business of Regatta Marine is fiberglass and timber boats. The team make modifications to boats to suit the owner’s preference. Doug tells us that he and the team “love working with the clients. The clients, some of the clients are really great and it’s just a real fun experience for us. We love it. We’re truly passionate about what we want to do. The little things count. The stuff that you don’t see will go to the Nth degree to make sure that that’s correct. It’s great to get that phone call and say what you guys did just worked out fantastic and we’re really happy.”

Jason Stallon, Pacific Trim

With a reputation for impeccable quality, the team at Pacific Trim won’t compromise on quality. For their seating, canopies, wall & floor coverings through to their helm chairs and clear enclosures, the team only use the best calibre of materials. The result is eye-catching, easy to use and elegantly comfortable boat trimmings.

Jason explains “the thing that boat owners really appreciate is that their baby becomes our baby. Every little stitch, every cut, every minor detail, is our chance to do the thing that we love. To make them really happy.”

Stephen Fowler – Benson & Brown

The marine sector today recognises Benson and Brown as a provider of excellent project management, electrical designers, surveyors, and an adept team of electricians with years of experience in new construction and repair work.

Their work also includes engineering solutions like custom designed, manufactured switchboards and sub-boards.

Stephen says “I guess we’re known for our innovation development in the marine electrical industry globally. But 50% of our customers are Gold Coast boaties. And what they love is getting truly the world’s best solutions at a local Gold Coast price. We just love solving problems.”

Benson and Brown are constantly excited to take on new and challenging boats.

Kyle Collins – GCCM

It’s not just the onsite businesses that demonstrate a passion for boating and expert marine craftsmanship, but also the team at GCCM. Kyle Collins, self-proclaimed ‘young guy that gets to do all the good jobs’ tells us,

“I love my water blasting, and I drive the big travel lift. Preparation in this job is the biggest key. Before the boat gets here, I work out the weight of the vessel, how many slings I’ll be using, the underworks of the vessel, so stabilizers, transducers, all that sort of stuff. How I’m going to set the slings up if I have to cross them, leave them open, use more, use less. Before every vessel, we’ll wash the slings so that way they’re nice and clean, they don’t scratch the boat.”

Of working at GCCM and his role, Kyle says that “we try and make it fun. You know, it’s kind of a stressful job, but I try to be a smiley guy as much as I can. The water blasting, it’s therapeutic. I absolutely enjoy it. I get very anal looking in all the nooks and crannies for that little bit of slime to blast off. When I’m driving the machine away, I feel honoured to have stood their vessel, pulled out a customer’s pride and joy. It’s their baby. Knowing that it’s done right, they love it. Makes me feel good about myself and keeps me coming back, wanting to work and enjoying it. That’s what I’m striving for.”

Want to learn more about the trades at GCCM and why the team have a reputation as being the best? Head to our marine trades directory here.